Pandemic Mitigation Plans” or the “PMIPs,” a federal program designed to protect the nation against catastrophic pandemics. With the outbreak of the current influenza A(H1N1) virus, the federal government has asked all states to create and implement their own PMIPs. Such plans, which are developed by states and approved by the federal government, are designed to help state governments anticipate and plan for a pandemic, which are defined as new infectious diseases that affect a significant portion of the world’s population. The federal government also issued a notice asking states to ensure that their pandemic plans comply with, but not duplicate, the plans drafted for the states by a federal coordinating committee. Our research shows that most states will need to draw on multiple sources of information from several different branches of government to ensure the effectiveness of their pandemic plans. The federal government can play a critical role in helping the states develop effective pandemic response plans by offering guidance and by offering to support the data collection and communication needs of individual states. New influenza A(H1N1) cases are now being reported each day. As of June 9, 2012, there have been 3,500 cases and 100 deaths. The Department of Health and Human Services says that the virus could infect up to 35% of the world’s population, which means tens of millions could become ill. However, the spread of the virus will not stop with summer. As the weather heats up, so will the potential for spreading the flu to a wider audience. We need federal assistance in order to prepare for this year’s flu season. The government should offer guidance, funding, and information in order to help states and local governments to develop, update, and implement their pandemic plans. Including private and civic sector participation will enable states to respond quickly and effectively during a pandemic, and be able to allocate resources where needed most. Read the full report on the role of private and civic sector partnerships in pandemic preparedness and response, The Need for a Comprehensive Partnership for Pandemic Preparedness and Response: Lessons Learned in a Pandemics, including a comparison of existing practices for pandemic planning and response. To read more of OECD.org's policy-related articles, news and multimedia content please visit the OECD library. Alternatively please find more information about our activities at the OECD Policy portal. This article gives the views of the authors, not the position of EUROPP – European Politics and Policy or the London School of Economics. Featured image credit: The flu in action via photopin cc. Geraldine Tamm is an associate director of the Office of Emerging Threats and Technology (OETT) at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. She also serves as the president of the National Association of State Technology Administrators (NATAS). Together we can help build a government that works better for everyone. Please take the time to share your views with us by joining this unique network. We are committed to having a vigorous debate on Facebook and encourage your comments. A recent study by the US National Research Council (NRC) of the country’s cyber vulnerability is out and it is bad news. Cyber vulnerabilities pose significant risks for the country, with effects on foreign policy and on the US economy. The study reports that the US is “vulnerable to a wide range of potential attacks” with a range of effects including theft of state secrets, loss of sensitive personal information, disruption of the financial system and infrastructure, exploitation of consumer databases, denial of service, and attacks on defense and foreign policy objectives. The risks from cyber-attacks could even be greater than from those from Iran. The US also faces increasing cyber vulnerabilities due to the rapid growth of new networking technologies and international interconnectivity. The NRC committee points to Iran as a prime example of how cyber attackers can harm US interests. According to the Congressional Research Service, other ways that adversaries could use cyber tools to harm the US include denial of service attacks and the harvesting of technical information and intellectual property. The US military, financial, and infrastructure sectors are all vulnerable. For instance, the NRC notes that information technology can be used by terrorist organizations to gain access to sensitive financial data. The NRC stresses the importance of the role of private industry in combating these threats and reports the need for a coordinated national approach. What Are the Impacts of Cyber Attacks on Financial Systems? The NRC study raises concerns about cyber attacks on financial systems because of their magnitude. The costs of attacks on the financial system, the study finds, could be $200 to $250 billion dollars each year. The study finds that these effects could be amplified by market reaction. For example, if the private sector detected an attack on a single bank’s database, there would likely be a ripple effect that could cause wide-ranging impact. The NRC analysis finds that cyber attacks would hurt the economy and negatively affect the country’s reputation. What Are the Impacts of Cyber Attacks on US Infrastructure? The NRC study suggests that cyber attacks on US infrastructure could have immediate and devastating effects on US society. It notes that a cyber attack on one sector of US infrastructure could spread to others in the public and private sector. It notes that the US infrastructure is linked to a national fiber-optic network through which Internet service providers transmit data to other businesses and consumers, thereby increasing the potential for cyber attacks. The report also points to other US infrastructure sectors, including financial, transportation, communication, and energy, that are also potential targets of cyber attacks. Cyber threats have emerged as a major issue as the US prepares for the next strategic review of national cyber policy. The US needs a comprehensive approach that includes coordination between federal and state governments and private companies